Tangled
by Naoko Asakura
Summary: Separated from Jin in a fight, Fuu and Mugen travel to what is dubbed by superstitious villagers as a haunted onsen. Really though, they only have to be afraid of eachother. MugenFuu.
1. Intro: The Twisted Knot

Tangled.

By Naoko Asakura.

Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo! Woo!

Author's Note: Wugh, you're going to kill me if I mess up, right? Hides her hands from being chopped off.

The summer evening air was heavy with moisture. One might think that every sound should have been muffled by the heat, but the cicadas and crickets bit through the night with their call like sharp knives through blocks of cold tofu. Accompanied by the sharp noises were the sounds of footsteps grinding against the dust path through nowhere.

"God, how long is it to this place!" A male grumbled irritably. His wooden geta stomped the ground, the force produced by his anger raising clouds in the path. Soon after his query was voiced, another voice replied. This time, it was a female's voice.

"Mugen, do you ever stop complaining about _anything_! We're almost there, and that's really all we know!" She ground out, mopping her sticky brow with the sleeve of her pink kimono. Her normally clean hair was frazzled and greasy from the long travel and the night air. Her companion leered at her, folding his arms across his chest.

"Shut up, bitch! It's **your **fault that we got separated from Jin in the first place! Your lucky we're not going to have to camp out in this shit weather… It's all because of me we heard about this place!" He further complained. He suddenly grunted and stripped himself of his ratty outer robe and slung it over his shoulder.

"Hmph!" The girl muttered, turning her head to look at the path ahead. Deep down, she wished that she could shed some layers like he did. Unfortunately, her modesty made her refrain from doing so. _I cannot wait until we get there! _She thought.

The two were blanketed in the almost silence again, and after a few minutes, the girl snuck a look over at her traveling companion.

He looked the same as always… Slender and haggard from the malnutrition and the wear and tear from battle. She couldn't help but stare in wonder at the curve of his long, tan neck and how although covered in scars, his skin looked soft. Her chest constricted when she saw his lips curl upwards in that age-old smirk, but then she was pulled back to attention when he opened his more and spoke.

"Hah! Finally!" He exclaimed gruffly, picking up his pace and going ahead of her. Her head turned to look down the path, and a smile lit up her face as well. Before them in the distance, she could see a small dark house on the edge of a small mountain range peppered with trees. With a short but triumphant laugh, she followed his suit and trotted down the path just behind him. She continued running when she realized something.

__

Mugen is a skilled swordsman… There's no way he runs as slow as I do... Is he slowing down for me? She thought, the force of her own footsteps and heartbeat thundering in tandem through her ears. Her cheeks warmed with a light pink, and she looked down. Not looking where she was going, she felt her right foot strike something large and hard, and she yelped in pain. As she tumbled to the dirty ground, she felt her ankle roll in a strange way and she landed on her stomach. She looked ahead of her, and though her vision was clouded with tears, she could see Mugen stop and turn around.

"Fuu! What the hell!" He shouted, jogging back to her with a peeved expression gracing his scruffy features. Fuu could only reply with a soft sniffle as she felt uncomfortably hot tears stream down her cheeks. Mugen's face contorted into something she couldn't really understand, but it was gone the moment he bent down and lifted her up in his arms bridal-style. "Stupid… You're too helpless!" He muttered gruffly as he thundered down the path. Even though she was crying, Fuu noticed that his speed was even greater than before.

Suddenly, Mugen stumbled and her limp leg bounced. Pain shot up her leg and her eyes slammed shut.

"OW! WATCH IT, YOU ASS!" She cried, whacking him on the back of the head. He glared at her sharply.

"I don't **have **to carry you!" He said, making her face burn with anger.

"Yes you do! If you leave me out here, I'll never forgive you!"

"Shut up!"

"No, **you** shut up!"

"SHUT UP ALREADY!"

Tsuzuku.-


	2. The Knot Grows Hot

Tangled.

Chapter Two: The Knot Grows Hot.

By Naoko Asakura.

Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo… Waaah!

Author's Note: Go me! X3 Yeah.

The old age of the building paired with neglect made kicking down the front door all too easy for Mugen as he stepped inside. His sharp eyes pierced the darkness as he looked around, and he almost forgot about the small girl in his arms. It wasn't until Fuu spoke that he looked down at her.

"…Mugen?" She murmured, her tears long dried from before. Mugen frowned down at her, and felt heat coil in his chest at the sight of her uneasy face. He'd always considered her to be rather cute, but now wasn't the time to reflect on such a thought process. Instead, he looked ahead again and grunted in acknowledgement. He felt Fuu shift in his arms, but he pressed on, continuing down a hallway and kicking open doors in search for a sufficient bedroom.

"What?" He said finally, gently hoisting her up so that he could kick down another door. He glared at the room. The floor was caved in like all the other ones. He continued on while Fuu chewed her bottom lip in thought.

"I'm hungry." She said flatly. To punctuate her remark, a low whine sounded from her abdomen. Mugen scowled irritably as he finally found a good room.

"We'll worry about that as soon as we get settled. Be quiet, woman!" He said as he set her on the floor. "We don't have any food anyways, unless you want to go out and hunt for some." He said, raising a thick eyebrow at her. Fuu puffed out her cheeks and moved to rise from the ground, but instead yelped in pain and fell back on her rear end.

"It huuuurts!" She groaned, her eyes filled with tears again. Mugen sighed in exasperation and shook his head.

"If you keep on crying like that, you're going to get dehydrated, idiot!" He exclaimed as he sat cross legged at her feet. His eyelids drooped as he inspected her injury, and seconds passed before he looked back up at her again with a diagnosis in his mind. "…Twisted ankle." He surmised, leaning back until his head knocked against the floor with a dull thud. "Nothing more, nothing less. Just chill out for a while or something." He said, waving a slim-fingered hand through the air. Fuu sighed anxiously and fell on her back as well.

"Well this really bites. I thought we were only going to stay here for a night." She complained. Mugen rolled his eyes and stretched.

"Whatever. We can just wait here until Jin finds us again. Your ankle will be healed by then, I bet." He muttered before rolling onto his side. His tattered red jacket lay on the ground next to him, so he grabbed it in his fist and pulled it over his eyes. "I'm going to bed, so if you try and whine your little ass off, I won't be listening."

The same old anger welled up in Fuu, but she too rolled onto her side and curled into a ball. "Fine! Goodnight!" She ground out, closing her eyes. She received no answer though… With the exception of a nasally snore that she was all too familiar with. Usually, she would have told the unorthodox samurai to shut the hell up, but tonight with her injury, she didn't want to make a fuss.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and she remembered the gentleness and care he'd taken when he carried her. Sure, there was that stumble followed up by a tiring screaming match, but the rest of the way was quiet. She might have even fallen asleep in those strong arms had it not been for Mugen's loud announcement of their arrival at the building.

She stared at the part of the room where the floor met the wall and sighed heavily.

_This is too much for me to think about right now… I'm in an onsen, and for once, it's free! _She reasoned with herself. _Well, maybe there are a few strings attached here and there, but at least this time, I only have to work with **one **of the destructive duo._

"Ah… Too much to think about." She repeated, this time aloud. She closed her eyes again and slowly drifted off into a silent and dreamless sleep.

Mugen awoke before Fuu did, his eyes opening to the sight of the girl's back. He had probably rolled around a lot in his sleep in order to flip in the complete other direction. He didn't care about that though. The first think he thought of when he woke up was how the sunlight that streamed in from the grimy window in the room lit up Fuu's sleeping face. Her brown hair seemed a shade lighter with the halo of reflected light atop her head. Her cheeks were warmed by the summer heat, and her lips were parted in soft breaths.

He didn't like to think about how it might feel if that soft breath of hers were tickling bare chest. In fact, he loathed the very action of thinking about her in that vein. It made him wonder why he did it so often.

_Its just reverse psychology! _He tried to reason with himself as he rested an elbow on one of his knees. He continued to squint at her face with the same irritation he felt when she was awake and talking. _If I tell myself no, of course I'm going to do the exact opposite!_

"Mugen…"

He could barely see her lips move, but his heart leapt in his chest when he heard his name uttered. On any other occasion, he would have just woken her up with one of his insults he specially reserved for her, but Jin wasn't there. Even more importantly, Fuu was fast asleep.

She stretched out, and he could see her pale neck lead down to the collar of her kimono, which was askew in such a way, he could see just above the hill of her breasts. He felt his gut lurch and his body move almost instantaneously.

_Why are you moving forward! She's a stupid bitch who tries to keep you in line like that pansy Jin! What the fuck! _His mind screamed as he moved closer still. His eyes clouded when he felt her exhale against his forehead, and he watched her shift again fearlessly. Supporting himself with his arms, he dipped his head to…

"Iii want my foooood…"

Like magic words, he was released. He pulled back, blinking in confusion at her sleeping form. Her mouth hung wide open, drool escaping at the corner of her mouth. She shifted again and with a limp wrist, hit Mugen in the face. Frustration filled him as he rose. He stomped out of the room away and out of the hearing proximity of Fuu, and bellowed.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING!"


	3. The Knot Burns

Tangled

Chapter Three: The Knot Burns

Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo! Oh noooes!

Author's Note: Now that I've finished my final exams, I can focus more on writing! I'm afraid this chapter is going to be completely out of character. At least for Mugen… Thanks for the reviews, guys!

P.S. I'm using the character's ages from the series. So don't yell at me for putting Fuu (who is fifteen) with Mugen (who is twenty). You guys all asked for it, so nyaaah! XD

* * *

"M-Mugen!"

The tips of her fingers clawed at his back as she rose above him. She saw him, staring up at her with half lidded and jaded eyes. Behind the dull glazed over brown, she could see a certain spark flickering there. Her heartbeat thundered in her chest as he tilted his head upward. She could feel his hot breath push back loose strands of her hair, and his bare arms holding her waist.

"Fuu, I…"

The morning light burned her eyes as they opened, unfocused and aching. She sat up and rubbed her flushed cheeks tiredly. She felt warm all over, and her ankle throbbed with pain still.

"That dream…" She murmured, running her fingers through her brown hair. One of the first things she noticed about her surroundings was that her companion was not present. She frowned, still thinking about her night reverie. Of course, she'd speculated what could be between her and the vagrant swordsman before, but to dream about it…

She blushed hotly and scowled. _There's no way. I'd never give myself to a fool like that._ She thought, struggling to stand up. She teetered for a moment before she gained balance, then limped slowly out of the room.

"I wonder where the hot spring is… I think the warm water will be good for this stupid ankle of mine. "She thought aloud. She glanced at the wooden plank nailed to the wall, and sighed. "To the left then." She muttered, and continued down the hallway.

* * *

Mugen sank deeper into the water, overwhelmed by the heat and the steam rising from the hotspring. His eyes stared over the glassy liquid, and his thoughts pounded through his head. The dull ache made him massage his temples. 

_Why would anyone want to kiss that vacant face of hers? She's such a stupid bitch!_ He thought irritably. His dripping hair clung to his defined cheekbones as he rose from the water_. This fucking sucks. I don't want to think about that wench…_

He shook his head, spraying droplets and rippling the water silently. His flushed cheeks burned hotter as his thoughts were filled with images of Fuu, caught defenseless and underneath him. Frustration overcame him and he punched the water.

"WHY THE FUCK AM I GETTING EMBARRASSED?"

He didn't notice the door opening from across the onsen, or the familiar brown ponytail bobbing above the steam as the girl in question limped into the large room. He did notice though when a long sigh echoed through the room.

Shit! Mugen looked around frantically for a place to hide. The hot spring was just an open space though. He didn't realize how much noise he was making by splashing around, and when he looked back at her, their eyes locked.

"I…" Fuu began, her eyes wide and willed with shock. Her cheeks flushed pink in a visage of pure embarrassment. "I-I… I didn't mean to! That is- I didn't know you were in here!" She backpedaled, her eyes never failing to take him in bashfully. In her attempt to make a quick exit, she put too much pressure on her twisted ankle. "Ahh!" She cried out in pain and fell backwards against the shut door.

"What the hell!" Was all Mugen could utter as he rose out of the water. He grabbed the wet towel on the edge of the spring and wrapped it around his waist as his feet hit the stone floor. She screamed as he appeared at her side and covered her eyes with one hand.

"You dumbass! Don't you have any modesty!" She exclaimed, pushing him away. Mugen leered at her.

"What the fuck do you think I am? A fucking noble?" He retorted, going back to her side. "Shit woman, do you think I'd want an airhead like you?" He asked her as he inspected her swollen red ankle. The hand that covered her eyes dropped and she glared daggers at him.

"For your information, lots of people want this airhead! You're so insensitive, jerk!" She exclaimed, pointing a thumb at herself. Mugen turned, his mouth opening to shoot another insult her way, but he fell silent. "…And another thing! The only reason I'm letting you touch me is because I have no idea how to treat a twisted ankle!" Fuu continued, oblivious to the fact that he was staring at her blankly.

Mugen felt his chest constrict as he looked upon her. Her hair, disheveled from her fall spilled in pieces over her shoulders, halfway up and halfway down. Her glinting eyes and flushed cheeks were only second in attention to her lips, which Mugen watched with curiosity. They moved and formed foul words that he normally would have hit her over the head for, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to act normally.

"Honestly! I don't even know _why_ I hang around you sometimes! You're just a scruffy, inconsiderate, egotistical jer-"

"Fuu." Mugen said gruffly, running a thumb over her injured ankle. She continued to glower at him, her lips pursed in anger. That was quickly dissolved to confusion though, as Mugen's next words escaped his lips. "What you're doing to me is really pissing me off, so shut the fuck up and close your damn eyes!"

"Wha!" She could only muster, quirking an eyebrow. His angry expression told her that he meant business, so she complied. Her eyelashes brushed her cheeks as she shut her eyes. In a matter of seconds, she could feel his hands gripping her shoulders gently and his soft breath against her face. "Mugen, what are you…?" She asked. Her brow furrowed in irritation as she opened her eyes again.

Her heart thundered in her ears and her lips trembled. She wanted to say more, but she couldn't bring herself to speak again. Mugen's wet hair dripped onto her hot pink kimono as he leaned over her, pressing his mouth against the base of her neck. She desperately attempted to register the event taking place into her head, but her mind was blank as the rough samurai trailed burning kisses up to her jaw. When he finally pulled back, she saw that he was still glaring at her.

"I'm no rapist." He said quietly. His voice was still as rough as ever though. "I'm not going to touch you like that ever again, so be grateful." He ground out. Fuu shuddered as his body heat left her, staring up at him as he stood.

Mugen sighed in frustration as he ran a hand through his soggy hair. He'd have to find another room, since even though he had attempted to flush the feelings from his system, he still lusted after the young girl whom he traveled with. He'd never really expected to feel want or need towards Fuu, but he did. He'd even declared it her fault his sex drive had been close to nil recently. He gathered his clothes in his arms, not noticing that the brunette was hobbling clumsily towards him. He turned sharply and knocked into her, sending her to the floor again.

"Damn it, Mugen!" She shouted from the ground, her eyes welled up with tears of pain again, and she bit her lip to keep her from choking out a sob. Mugen's brow plummeted and he bared his teeth at her.

"It's your fault for walking up behind me!" He shot back. Fuu rubbed her eyes roughly with her hands and looked back up at him once more.

"Just… Just shut up, ok! Come down here!" She struggled to say, her face red hot. Mugen rolled his eyes and dumped his clothes to the side, squatting down to inspect her ankle again.

"If I have to look at your ankle one more time, I'm going to cut it o-" Mugen's threat was cut off at the very end when Fuu seized his face with two hands and pulled his mouth roughly to hers. For a moment, the swordsman was astonished at such a bold move… From a fifteen year old girl, no less. His eyes fluttered shut and he responded to her kisses. His insides burned, and he leaned into her while supporting the weight of his torso by splaying his palm on the stone floor.

Fuu's cheeks ached with embarrassment, but her thoughts were clouded as her lips parted and closed continuously in synch with Mugen's. She sighed through her nose contently and looped her arms around his neck. Pulling back, she looked up at him with nervous eyes.

"That was my first kiss." She said bluntly, chewing her lips that had been kissed swollen. Mugen's eyebrows raised at this comment, but didn't fail to bring his head down to kiss her again. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip and as she opened her mouth again, and she met him halfway. He had surmised that it had been her first anyways, since she was being rather sloppy, but he didn't really care. He was a sloppy person anyways.

"This is really fucking uncomfortable." Mugen said between kisses. Quickly, he shifted until he covered her body with his, his elbows on either side of her head. Fuu soundlessly kissed his cheeks, tangling her fingers in his damp hair. With one hand, Mugen tugged the collar of her kimono down to her shoulers, exposing her collarbone and the beginning hill of her breasts. He noticed that the towel around his waist was becoming constrictive, but instead, he inclined his head and kissed her shoulder.

"M-Mugen…" He heard her whisper. It was almost inaudible, but his heart skipped when his name fell on his ears. Agonizingly slow, he kissed her from her collarbone to the base of her neck, which he sucked on gently for a moment. He felt her hands rove his bare back, her soft hands touching every battle scar he'd ever received. Then she spoke again.

"I… I love you."

Mugen's heart nearly stopped. He pulled away from her and stared down at Fuu incredulously. "What?" He asked, his brow furrowing. She opened her eyes, which were glazed over, and she smiled at him.

"I love you." She repeated. Mugen's mouth twitched, wanting to say something. He couldn't though. He could only move off of her and gather his clothes. Fuu stared up at him, shocked as he made his way to the door. No answer. "Mugen!" She exclaimed, watching him exit. She sat on the stone floor of the hot spring, hurt and confused as to why he left her without a word. Even though she was caught in the steam rising from the water near her, she felt cold.

"W-What!" She murmured, her voice cracking as tears spilled down her cheeks.

…Mugen had left her alone and humiliated, weeping bitterly on the floor of an abandoned onsen.


	4. The Frayed Ends

Tangled

Chapter Four: The Frayed Ends

By Naoko Asakura

Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo… Don't hurt me! Waah!

Author's Note: Wow! A lot of people seem to like this story! Thanks for all the reviews, guys! They really help!

* * *

The sun was limpid on the horizon, giant and orange. The heat seemed to sweep over everything in pulses and waves. The fields of grass looked as if they were waves of fire, and the only thing strong enough to cross the heated field was the dark-clothed man whose glasses reflected like mirrors against the sun. 

A bead of sweat streaked down his face, and he rubbed it from his jaw roughly. With a short and hard sigh, he squinted against the light. He was lucky he could barely make out the onsen. It looked as if it were painted with live colors against the dark mountain._That's it then. He thought, quickening his pace._ The faster he went, the faster he could meet up with his comrades. For a moment, he wondered why he didn't just abandon them to go off on his own. He shrugged these wistful thoughts… He knew that he was bound to them until fate saw to it that their destinies should separate.

Of course, Jin didn't really believe in fate.

* * *

Fuu didn't want to come out. 

Her red-rimmed eyes ached, and although she was surrounded by warm water and intensely heavy steam, she felt cold inside. Entertaining thoughts of just sinking to the bottom of the hot spring and staying there, her fingers strayed to the rosy marks at the base of her throat.

"Fucking Mugen…" She muttered, her insult half-hearted. He wasn't even there to retort. She flipped her wet hair back, spraying water over the floor behind her. She drew her knees to her chest._What if he left…?_ She wondered, her heart swelling with sadness. Her eyes shifted, not seeing the door leading outside, but acknowledging it. She sunk deeper into the water, her hair floating about her cheekbones._ He would, if it weren't for Jin._

If one were looking, they could see her tears flow into the water.

* * *

After Mugen had left, he didn't get very far. In fact, he had just shut the door, walked towards the room, then slumped silently against the wall opposite the hotspring's. His half-lidded eyes stared into emptiness, and suddenly his head tilted to the side limply. 

I love you.

No one had ever told him that. Well, they had, but they never really meant it. He was certain of that. Every time someone had made a declaration as such, they always ended up over him in the night, a knife ready at his throat. Ready to betray him.

I love you.

He'd always disregarded the use of these words in the same sentence. Hell, he'd always disregarded the word "love" on it's own. Sure, he loved food, brothels, fighting… No person, though. He didn't need to love anyone. Just general things suited him fine.

I love you.

Still though… The way she said it; The way she looked up at him as he pinned her down on the hard stone floor. Sure, his knees were uncomfortable against the rough surface, but that had been the least of his worries. His primary thoughts were focused on the brown eyes with the warmth directed towards him.

I love you.

He straightened his neck and ran his long fingers through his hair. He certainly wasn't expecting her to say that to him. Then again, she was a young girl. Not some old wench just looking for a good fuck or two. She was… Well, she was Fuu. Fuu wasn't a wanton whore like the others. He'd already decided that she was off limits long before, but somehow, he just couldn't handle all of her adorable quirks and purity.

I love you.

He certainly didn't hate her. He didn't dislike her, he didn't even just like her.

It was then that he recalled every time she'd attempt to make conversation with another man, especially when that other man was Jin, his heart would burn with jealously.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" He grunted softly, debating just tearing through the wall opposite him. As he was raising his foot, he heard the front door open. In a moment, the dark robed samurai that he considered dead already was at his side, looking down on him blankly.

* * *

Jin had never seen Mugen looking so sorry in all of his days of traveling with the wayward man. The corners of his lips tugged into a slight frown. They stared at each other for a moment before Mugen sighed and stood up. 

"If you're looking for Fuu, she's taking a bath. I'll be waiting outside." He stated quietly. Jin didn't reply, but sat down in Mugen's place. His head turned just slightly to the right, he stared at the door to the hot spring with mild curiosity. Just what had happened between Mugen and Fuu?

…Not that he really cared or anything.

* * *

A day had passed since the trio had left the onsen in an awkward silence. They'd walked for nearly three hours, feeling oppressed under the heat of the night until they arrived in civilization. The local inn was luckily cheap, so they all took closet-sized bedrooms for themselves. 

Fuu sat on her futon, which took up most of what she might've called a room if it actually had a window and decorations, staring at the door blankly. Her mind was still filled with thoughts pertaining to Mugen's harshly quiet rejection.

Jin, whose "room" was inbetween Fuu's and Mugen's, was already half asleep, his jet black hair fanned out against the pillow. His confusion had long since died with the sole thoughts of getting some place cooler. Content with his current lodgings and it's temperature, he fell into a dreamless, emotionless sleep.

Mugen grumbled crossly and fell back against the softness of his futon. He glared at the ceiling and bared his teeth at the worry that loomed over his head._She's going to think I'm a retard… There's no way I'm going in there all mushy saying that I love her. There's no fucking way! _He rolled onto his side and shut his eyes, only to be met with images of the young girl underneath him, her fingers tangled in his… Even her breath tickling his bare chest. He was **so **tempted to break something.

Nearly an hour passed by, Mugen still fantasizing about things that could have happened back at the abandoned onsen. He opened his eyes when the feeling of profound annoyance swept over him. _First she says that she loves me, now she doesn't talk to me?_ He let out an audible grumble, and was met by a thump of Jin's heel against the wall that they shared. Even more annoyed, Mugen rose from his bed, only to bump his head loudly on the ceiling. He hissed in pain, only to be further irritated by another thump in return. 

"That fucking tears it!" He growled, opening his door and stomping down to a certain girl sat.


	5. The Untangled

Tangled

Chapter Five: Untangled.

Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo. Bahahaha!

Author's Note: I'll bet you guys are mad at me for not updating… I'm sorry! . I'll be good, this time. I swear! I just realized how many errors this story has, too… Again, sorry!

One last chapter after this!

* * *

The door opened quickly, punctuated with two slams of opening and closing, and before she could even turn around, Fuu was nearly attacked by the wolfish advancement of a man who'd suddenly grasped her around the waist and pulled her to him. She knew it was a man… For the deep breathing behind her, and embarrassingly enough… The feel of… That thing… Down there…

Fuu spluttered, blushing and trying to wrench herself free from his grip. "L-Let me go!" She cried out, grabbing for anything she could get her hands on to inflict pain upon her attacker. His hands went from her hips to her wrists and he pulled them (in a surprisingly gentle, but subduing manner) to her back. She cried out anyways, and tried to use her weight to throw herself out of the man's reach. "MUGE-"

Long fingers reached around and clamped her mouth shut, while keeping her still in one place with a mere arm. She felt the hand lift though, and pull back the hair covering her ear gently. The disgustingly hot breath was on her ear and the skin of her neck now, and she shuddered involuntarily. She croaked out one last protest before the voice touched her mind.

"Shut up," It whispered, "Don't look at me. Don't make a sound."

Suddenly, the warm breath didn't feel so nasty. In fact, it felt… Good. She flushed darkly and craned her neck in a weak attempt to get a look at her so-called attacker. The only presence of him though was his hands; His touch. She wanted to see him badly, but his orders made her afraid to even move. She felt him rest his chin on her shoulder with a sullen sigh of displeasure. She could feel the words rumble in his throat.

"Let's get this whole god-damn thing straight. You love me, right?" He asked, his tone gruff as always, with a slight tinge of defensive wariness to it. Fuu rolled her eyes. Could his question be any more stupid? Even so, she nodded curtly. A short silence overcame the pair in the small room, and she felt Mugen's grip somehow grow tighter. "I'm not promising you my undying devotion and bullshit romance like that… But there's something about you that gives me that idea." He was overcome with feeling in that moment, and he pressed his cheek to hers, his eyes closed. "It's just- I dunno. You get me all worked up sometimes."

Romeo, he was not. Still though, Fuu was ecstatic. Unable to contain herself any longer, she turned around quickly and pressed the tan samurai's body to the floor with hers. Elbows on either side of his shoulders, she mused at the repetition of her action. This was trivial though.

"Mugen, I know now." She said, her cheeks flushed. Her smile was barely containable as she caught the glimmer of surprise and euphoria on his face. "So just shut up and don't make a sound."

And with that, she sealed his lips with hers. As soft and warm as Mugen could remember, he lifted himself off the floor to further his indulgence, supporting himself with his arms. She was now in his lap, as he'd often dreamt of her, feeling secure as she loomed above him like a strange creature sent from the sky to fulfill his desires.

He lifted a hand and brought it to the side of her head, combing through her long hair with a sort of careless and rough manner. Fuu, in turn closed her legs at the ankle about his waist and wantonly roved his back with her hands, feeling for the hem of his white undershirt (for he'd left his red gi in his own room) and tugging on it like a child seeking the attention of an adult. He groaned in half-irritation and leaned forward. He grabbed the shirt and tossed it over his head with ease. For the moment their kiss was broken, he opened his eyes and stared at her. He studied Fuu for a while, smirking at her rumpled clothing and her embarrassed expression.

"You're pretty hot, y'know." He murmured, making her frown and shift uncomfortably. He chuckled in his peculiarly sexual way and supported her with his arms linked together. "No foolin'… You may have a small rack, but I can deal with that."

"Ugh, Mugen! You ass!" Fuu glared at him with annoyance and silenced him again. The air in the room grew heavier with each passing moment, and the articles of clothing separating the pair dwindled until none were left. Mugen pushed her down by the shoulders and continued to scrutinize until she diverted her gaze elsewhere nervously. "S-Stop staring!" She exclaimed, groping for her Yukata to cover herself as a natural reaction. Mugen's expression unfurled into a devious grin of lechery.

"I wouldn't worry…" He paused to drag his lips agonizingly slow from her neck to the hill of her breasts, and she drew in a sharp breath. "I can make you forget about that." His fingertips traced the shape of her bosom, teasing her mercilessly until she finally became fed up with his torment, and actually grabbed the offending hand herself and placed it where she wished. She heard him laugh again, and leaned up to bite him where his shoulder and neck met. He was probably used to it by then though. Fuu gasped, side tracked again by Mugen's rough, but flawless technique.

"M-Mugen!" He heard his name float from her lips like the last leaf on a tree stricken by the cold of winter. His mouth and hands worked in tandem on her, his skill perfect. He knew, as she spoke volumes of it's greatness with her body language. His body temperature was rising rapidly with the knowledge that he was giving her the first feelings of this feeling he knew all too well. Needless to say, he was encouraged to work harder.

Then finally…

They had reached that moment.

He knew she was ready, because as he continued on his ventures out of her line of sight, she seized him by the arms and attempted to pull him up back to her. He helped by dragging himself suggestively over her body, and he again propped himself up to eye her once more. Her eyes were screwed shut, her head tilted back and her hair out behind her, he smiled. There was nothing sexier to him than a woman in the throes of passion.

"If you keep that facial expression more often, I think I might consider falling in love with you." He said, somehow making the pseudo-insult sound like a compliment. She smiled, her eyes still shut. "This is gonna hurt, if you didn't already know." He said as he readied himself. She nodded, chewing her lip. He lunged forward, and her hiss of pain was all that filled the room.

She cried out, the corners of her eyes pricking with tears as she dug her fingers into his tattooed arms. "Aaaaah! Fuck!" She ground out between clenched teeth. Mugen sighed, his eyes dropping to her breasts again for a moment. They were small, but man, they were soft.

"Told you so." He said almost mockingly. Fuu was overcome with annoyance, and took both her thumbs and fish-hooked him deftly. He glowered at her and began moving… Soon enough, she was almost like putty underneath him. He was like a crazed beast, latching onto her mouth with his when she cried out lustfully.

More and more, the small room was becoming smaller. Mugen might have spontaneously combusted, his body temperature had climbed to such heights. Fuu reveled in this, her eyes half open. For the first time, she actually looked upon Mugen as he wrestled with his physical desperation.

His face, for the first time she'd ever seen, was flushed. Beads of sweat dripped down and off of his neck onto her own damp skin. His bronzed skin- filled with scars shone from the dim light of the forgotten lantern. His dark lashes were pressed to his cheeks, which were already covered in black stubble and his thin lips were parted to reveal his bared teeth through which he breathed laboriously.

He was beautiful.

"Mugen…" She sighed, his name lost to the silence drenched in gentle noise. He might have whispered her name a million times in the past minutes, but she was in too much euphoria to take notice. Her fingers raked at his back tenderly, and he seemed to laugh in response.

The time seemed to dilate, and the evening had just begun. Fuu smiled into another emotional kiss and arched into the rhythm that had been set. The time they would spend together would be worth all the heartache, she realized.

_She wouldn't have to worry anymore._


	6. Untied, But Still Together

Tangled

By Naoko Asakura

Final Chapter: Untied, But Still Together

Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo! Rrrraaaaaaagh!

* * *

The previous night's events left the nomadic trio almost in need of another night's rest, as there hadn't been much sleeping at all. The inn keeper looked a bit wary when he took the money from Jin, staring him down with beady eyes. Off to the side, Mugen and Fuu were arguing their jaws off over stupid matters while Momo would occasionally try and help his mistress' argument along by latching onto the vagrant's face. These moments were punctuated with obscene language and shrill squeaks of anger, and then promptly followed up by soothing words of comfort from Fuu.

"Hope you had a nice stay." The old man said finally, giving Jin another once over for his bedraggled appearance. The calm samurai nodded, removing his glasses to rub dark circled and red-rimmed eyes. He turned away, sliding his glasses back into place, making no effort to tell his bickering comrades that it was time to go.

"Mugen, I can't be held responsible for eating too much! I'm a growing girl! It's not my fault that you couldn't eat however much food you wanted!"

"Oh please, spare me that bullshit again. Everyone knows that women don't need that much food. You're just a fat cow!"

"At least I'm not stupid!"

"Shut up! You're stupid!"

"Ooh, nice comeback… Hey, did Jin leave?"

"Shit! Come on, spotted toad!"

"What the hell kind of insult is that!"

"With all those hickeys, I'd be damned if you didn't look like one!"

"THAT'S YOUR FAULT!"

The argument wore on, even when the pair had caught up to Jin, who had covered some considerable distance before they realized he'd gone. He sighed, running a hand over his brow. As time wore on, it turned into massaging his temples with both hands. The fight began to take a turn for the even less intelligent and for the first time, he turned around and spoke up.

"Look, you had sex with each other about five thousand times last night, so shut up with your stupid bickering and do something more romantic so that I don't have to listen to this crap anymore! I'd much rather be a third wheel than have to sit here and listen to this horse shit that you're both shoveling out of your mouths, just shut up, shut up, shut up!" He exclaimed, flushed and breathless as he admonished them both. The reactions he received from Fuu and Mugen were completely different, and not what he expected.

Fuu, embarrassed that he knew, buried her face in the sleeve of her kimono and let out a shriek of, "How did you know!" An extremely ridiculous question to ask, given the noise level of their… Activities last night. Mugen put his hand on her shoulder in a small gesture of comfort before addressing Jin.

"First of all, you're not sitting. You're walking in front of us, retard! Second of all, how is this any different than how we usually talk? Put a sock in it, four-eyes. You're making Fuu embarrassed."

Jin stared at the two of them incredulously, his mouth open. He shook his head at them and turned around, continuing down the path. Mugen peered at Fuu, the smirk on his face accented with his twinkling of his eyes. Fuu happened to look up at him in the same moment, her face still pink with embarrassment. The pair let tiny bits of laughter slip from time to time from then on, and right when Jin was beginning to calm down, the dam broke and torrents of unbridled giggling came rushing out.

Poor, poor Jin… The rest of this journey would probably end up being hell for him.

Fin.


End file.
